PRACTICAL HELP ABOUT LIVING IN FRANCE

A sample from our frequently asked questions file

Q. As a British citizen living in France, or visiting France, what kind of help can I expect from the UK authorities?

A. The competent UK authorities
are the British Consulates in Paris, Bordeaux and Marseille, which is why
we list their addresses and contact details in the “where do you live in
France?” pages of this website. You will find full information about what
the consulates can and cannot do, and whether any fees are payable, at http://ukinfrance.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals

Q. I’m told the British in France no longer need a carte de séjour,
but the French keep asking me to produce one? What should I do?

A. It is true that according to articles
L121-1 and L121-2 of the Code de l'entrée et du séjour des étrangers et
du droit d'asile, EU citizens coming to live in France no longer need to
be issued with a carte de séjour, but must register with the Mairie of their
town of residence within 3 months of arrival. Article L121-2 says that a
carte de séjour can nevertheless be issued on demand:

If you are often asked to produce a carte de séjour, you may find it useful to download and carry around with you the text of articles L121-1 and L121-2. They are quite short, and can be obtained from http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do

If you live in Paris, the Préfecture de Police de Paris says
it will issue a carte de séjour on application by e-mail to prefpol.dpg-7eb-cellule-postale@interieur.gouv.fr
or by telephone to 01 53 71 51 68 (Mondays to Fridays,
between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.) two or three months before your current card
expires. They then send you an application form and a list of the documents
to be presented. If you live elsewhere and have difficulty in getting the
local authority to issue you with a carte de séjour, you could try telling
them what the Préfecture de Police de Paris does.

Q. What has to be done if a British citizen dies in France?

A. A very detailed document on this subject has been drawn up by the Royal Air Forces Association,
which is our source (with thanks!) for what follows.

As for any death in France of a person of any nationality,
a doctor must be called. The doctor certifies the death (certificat de décès),
which must then be reported to the mairie within 24 hours. If violence or
suicide is suspected, the police or gendarmerie must be informed. The mairie
then issues the acte de décès. The British Consulate can of course assist,
especially if it is desired to repatriate the body to the UK. Further information can be found on
ukinfrance.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/when-things-go-wrong/

Q. Do I need a special subscription if I want to watch British TV in France?

A. No, you don’t. It is now possible
to receive by satellite, free of charge, a large number of BBC and ITV television
stations, as well as Channel 5. Additionally, you can receive BBC Radios
1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Live, several local BBC radio stations, the BBC World Service
and some Irish stations – all in excellent quality.

No special box or contract is needed, but your satellite dish
must be at least 80 cm in diameter (larger is better, especially in the
south) and it must point towards the ASTRA 2D satellite, which is located
at 28.2° East (not to be confused with Astra 1, a different satellite which
does not carry BBC and ITV, and which is located at 19.2° East).

Q. Is it still necessary for my pet to go into quarantaine if I take it back to the UK?

A. Things are much easier nowadays.
Domestic animals meeting the necessary requirements are able to move between
EU Member States if they are accompanied by an EU “pet passport”. Well over
80,000 pets have entered the United Kingdom without having to go into quarantine.
Preparation with the vet takes approximately seven months, (after the age
of five months), and includes micro-chipping, vaccination, and for dogs
only, tapeworm treatment [before entering the UK,
all pet dogs (including assistance dogs) must be treated for tapeworm. The
treatment must be administered by a vet not less than 24 hours and not more
than 120 hours (1-5 days) before its scheduled arrival time in the UK]
before a “pet passport” can be issued. Detailed information can be found
on http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/pets/pet-owners/#from1jan"